Keep contacting the owner of the Ritz in Ellizabeth, NJ, about what you’d like to see. Writing, calling, emailing, or even giving suggestions to the people working the box office might help. Keep trying—don’t give up. Here’s wishing you the best of luck.
Thanks for the information, JSA. I’d love to see the newly-printed out 70mm version of the film West Side Story, but I’ve also heard that there are some small issues with this new 70mm print, too; The color contrast was really, really intense in some areas, resulting in some blurriness in certain sections of the film. Correct me if I’m wrong on this, JSA.
Regarding the new Broadway revival of West Side Story: I’ve also read that they’re due to go on a national tour in the fall of 2010, and, if it comes to either Boston or Providence, RI (which is just a bit over an hour’s drive south of where I live), I might consider going, providing I can get a seat for a decent price, with a good view of the stage. Right now, as I said before, I’ve got mixed feelings about the whole thing.
“Its just going to continue until they find a way to kill theatres all together. The world is headed in a direction where there will never be a reason to leave your house. You can now work from home, shop from home, download music and video from home, its just never going to end. And that’s very sad.”
is a point well-taken, movie534. Your post says it all…in a nutshell. That being said, I’m going to continue renewing my memberships to the Coolidge Corner and the Brattle Theatres every year, and patronizing those movie theatres, and hope that more and more people follow suit. There’s nothing more exciting than going to a real movie theatre, seeing movies on the great big, wide screen as they’re MEANT to be viewed, and sharing that experience with a whole bunch of other people, whether they all know each other or not.
I agree, CWalczak. Frankly, I think that encouraging this kind of piracy, if anything, will help destroy the last vestiges of movie theatre going altogether. It’s yet another example of people wanting “something for nothing”, an attitude that started in the Reagan Administration. In the early 1980’s, the SCOTUS, under Ronald Reagan, voted, by just one vote, to allow movies to be taped on video and made for videoi and VCR, which, sadly, has ultimately helped lead to all this kind of piracy.
JodarMovieFan and bercy: you’ve made some good points about the newer 70mm print of the film West Side Story. It would be wonderful to have brand-spanking-new 70mm prints of WSS to show throughout the United States and the world. God….I’d have my OWN llittle celebration if that happened.
On the flip side of this, however, from what I’ve read/heard, there are some issues with the latest 70mm print of the film West Side Story; some of the channels are missing, or something, plus the projector has to be specially calibrated for 70mm film, which can get awfully expensive.
Back to Dark Knight: Some of the aerial shots of Gotham kind of reminded me of those in the film West Side Story.
Star Trek? Aha. Never saw it, though I did hear about it.
DRUMROLL…..
WEST SIDE STORY!!
As for West Side Story, since it came out in the fall of 1961 (October 18th, 1961, to be exact), the year 2011 will be the 50th-year Anniversary of this great, golden oldie-but-goody movie/musical classic! Here’s hoping that there’s a national re-release of WSS in theatres throughout the United States.
Hi, Bob Allen. Thanks for your reply to my questions and concerns about the great, golden-oldie-but-goody classic films, and for your compliments. I guess that video and DVD do have their advantages in that these old classics can be preserved and won’t disappear forever into the dustbin of history into cinema heaven, so to speak.
So, you’re building a movie theatre? How cool? Where’s it going to be? Just curious.
Hi, Ron Carlson. Thanks for your input also, and your good points. Ya know, though:
At the risk of sounding obsessive about this (which I admittedly am), I sincerely hope that this:
“ we tried to get "The Lion in Winter” (1968) with Katherine Hepburn, Peter O Toole and Anthony Hopkins. We own the DVD but there are no theatrical rights in the US. There are no prints in the US. It can not be shown in this country. The rights for public viewing are owned by a British company and the only 35mm prints are in Great Britain. So you can buy the movie for home use but many films are no longer open for theatrical showings"
doesn’t happen to my alltime favorite film, West Side Story.
Ron Carlson: I’m asking a different question: What about those great, golden oldie-but-goody classics that I’ve mentioned? Will they be digitalized too? I’d sure hate to see them disappear from the movie theatre scene altogether, because, no matter what anybody may claim about home theatre systems and big TV’s, they’re no substitute for seeing such great old classics in a real movie theatre, on a great big screen, with the lights down low, as they’re really meant to be viewed, and I’m sure there are others out there besides myself who feel likewise.
How about another REAL Anniversary: the 50th-year Anniversary national re-release of the film West Side Story, in all the United States' Theatres? That, imho, would be cool
WTCRay: What’s so wrong about discussing Anniversary re-releases of great, famous movies? To me, that’s been some of the most entertaining stuff here on CinemaTreasures, as a couple of other posters on here have pointed out.
“I work in exhibition and I have been told that as the bulk of the theaters change over to digital cinema the number of film prints available is going to be drastically reduced. Some movies will not be available on film at all. The major chains have all signed agreements to convert and once that is complete in about 3 years, movies on film is going to disapear. The distributors costs to produce a film print vs. a digital copy is huge. This is a numbers game and the studios and distributors are stacking the deck in their favor. They don’t care if the independents go out of business. Just like the advent of sound if you can’t convert you go dark. I don’t like the attitude but when the movie moguls died off and the film industry was taken over by large corporations and accountants started running the business this is what happens.”
mean that great, golden oldie-but-goody classic films such as West Side Story, Lawrence of Arabia, Dr. Zhivago, Fantasia, Midnight Cowboy, Easy Rider and many other great golden oldie-but-goody films will disappear from the movie landscape, never to be shown again in any movie theatres, the way they’re meant to be viewed. I’d sure hate to see the few independent not-for-profit movie theatres that play these great old classic films mentioned above, as well as other kinds of films that’re different from the schlockier movies that’re shown in most theatres nowadays go out of business.
If all that comes to pass, I predict more isolation of people from each other, which, in turn will breed suspicion, fear and hostility towards each other, as well as the total cheapening of the movie experience, which has been happening anyway.
Do you have any independent art-house repertory/revival movie theatres in your area that might show movies such as “2001: A Space Odyssey”? Just curious, because, assuming there is at least one independent movie theatre in your area that will show classics, you might want to call and/or write periodically to suggest/request “2001” , or if there’s a suggestion box in the theatre, put your suggestion in that. Just saying…..Hope I’ve been of some help here, CaptVonKrapp.
“Some of the most entertaining CT articles I’ve come across have been the anniversary celebrations of "Star Wars”, “Superman”, etc. If it calls up fond memories of going to the movies, it belongs on Cinema Treasures."
Thanks, Bill Huelig. The above-mentioned quote from your post says it all…in a nutshell.
Justin Fencsak: This:
“it’ll be too bad that the Joker won’t be around.”
is really too bad about Heath Ledger. He died much too young, imo.
Thanks, Phantom Screen. You’re right on that one, but I noticed that an awful lot of stores and businesses seemed boarded up, or had soaped-up windows, which is another sign of a store or business that’s folded.
This:
“are there any movie theatres left (as opposed to live stages)?”
is a good question, Ron Newman. Frankly, when I was there last spring, I didn’t see any movie theatres left in Worcester.
Hi, movie534. Thanks.
Keep contacting the owner of the Ritz in Ellizabeth, NJ, about what you’d like to see. Writing, calling, emailing, or even giving suggestions to the people working the box office might help. Keep trying—don’t give up. Here’s wishing you the best of luck.
Thanks for the information, JSA. I’d love to see the newly-printed out 70mm version of the film West Side Story, but I’ve also heard that there are some small issues with this new 70mm print, too; The color contrast was really, really intense in some areas, resulting in some blurriness in certain sections of the film. Correct me if I’m wrong on this, JSA.
Regarding the new Broadway revival of West Side Story: I’ve also read that they’re due to go on a national tour in the fall of 2010, and, if it comes to either Boston or Providence, RI (which is just a bit over an hour’s drive south of where I live), I might consider going, providing I can get a seat for a decent price, with a good view of the stage. Right now, as I said before, I’ve got mixed feelings about the whole thing.
This:
“Its just going to continue until they find a way to kill theatres all together. The world is headed in a direction where there will never be a reason to leave your house. You can now work from home, shop from home, download music and video from home, its just never going to end. And that’s very sad.”
is a point well-taken, movie534. Your post says it all…in a nutshell. That being said, I’m going to continue renewing my memberships to the Coolidge Corner and the Brattle Theatres every year, and patronizing those movie theatres, and hope that more and more people follow suit. There’s nothing more exciting than going to a real movie theatre, seeing movies on the great big, wide screen as they’re MEANT to be viewed, and sharing that experience with a whole bunch of other people, whether they all know each other or not.
Very touching and heart-warming story, HowardBHaas. Thanks for posting it.
I agree, CWalczak. Frankly, I think that encouraging this kind of piracy, if anything, will help destroy the last vestiges of movie theatre going altogether. It’s yet another example of people wanting “something for nothing”, an attitude that started in the Reagan Administration. In the early 1980’s, the SCOTUS, under Ronald Reagan, voted, by just one vote, to allow movies to be taped on video and made for videoi and VCR, which, sadly, has ultimately helped lead to all this kind of piracy.
How about “Make Way For Ducklings”?
Good point, bercy.
JodarMovieFan and bercy: you’ve made some good points about the newer 70mm print of the film West Side Story. It would be wonderful to have brand-spanking-new 70mm prints of WSS to show throughout the United States and the world. God….I’d have my OWN llittle celebration if that happened.
On the flip side of this, however, from what I’ve read/heard, there are some issues with the latest 70mm print of the film West Side Story; some of the channels are missing, or something, plus the projector has to be specially calibrated for 70mm film, which can get awfully expensive.
Back to Dark Knight: Some of the aerial shots of Gotham kind of reminded me of those in the film West Side Story.
Okay..thanks, Ron Carlson.
btw, I’m fully aware that everything in the movie business is dollars and cents, like most businesses, particularly nowadays.
Thanks, Peter and bolorkay.
What a handsome-looking theatre! Are there any photos of the theatre’s interior available, btw? Again, just curious.
Star Trek? Aha. Never saw it, though I did hear about it.
DRUMROLL…..
WEST SIDE STORY!!
As for West Side Story, since it came out in the fall of 1961 (October 18th, 1961, to be exact), the year 2011 will be the 50th-year Anniversary of this great, golden oldie-but-goody movie/musical classic! Here’s hoping that there’s a national re-release of WSS in theatres throughout the United States.
Hi, Bob Allen. Thanks for your reply to my questions and concerns about the great, golden-oldie-but-goody classic films, and for your compliments. I guess that video and DVD do have their advantages in that these old classics can be preserved and won’t disappear forever into the dustbin of history into cinema heaven, so to speak.
So, you’re building a movie theatre? How cool? Where’s it going to be? Just curious.
Hi, Ron Carlson. Thanks for your input also, and your good points. Ya know, though:
At the risk of sounding obsessive about this (which I admittedly am), I sincerely hope that this:
“ we tried to get "The Lion in Winter” (1968) with Katherine Hepburn, Peter O Toole and Anthony Hopkins. We own the DVD but there are no theatrical rights in the US. There are no prints in the US. It can not be shown in this country. The rights for public viewing are owned by a British company and the only 35mm prints are in Great Britain. So you can buy the movie for home use but many films are no longer open for theatrical showings"
doesn’t happen to my alltime favorite film, West Side Story.
theatrical showings.“\
What a uniquely beautiful-looking theatre that was. Too bad it closed.
Ron Carlson: I’m asking a different question: What about those great, golden oldie-but-goody classics that I’ve mentioned? Will they be digitalized too? I’d sure hate to see them disappear from the movie theatre scene altogether, because, no matter what anybody may claim about home theatre systems and big TV’s, they’re no substitute for seeing such great old classics in a real movie theatre, on a great big screen, with the lights down low, as they’re really meant to be viewed, and I’m sure there are others out there besides myself who feel likewise.
How about another REAL Anniversary: the 50th-year Anniversary national re-release of the film West Side Story, in all the United States' Theatres? That, imho, would be cool
WTCRay: What’s so wrong about discussing Anniversary re-releases of great, famous movies? To me, that’s been some of the most entertaining stuff here on CinemaTreasures, as a couple of other posters on here have pointed out.
What a fantastic-looking theatre! It seems to have lots of potental. Hope the renovating/restoration process goes well for the Russell Theatre.
I think so.
Good move, saps!! Way to go!
Ouch!! So does this:
“I work in exhibition and I have been told that as the bulk of the theaters change over to digital cinema the number of film prints available is going to be drastically reduced. Some movies will not be available on film at all. The major chains have all signed agreements to convert and once that is complete in about 3 years, movies on film is going to disapear. The distributors costs to produce a film print vs. a digital copy is huge. This is a numbers game and the studios and distributors are stacking the deck in their favor. They don’t care if the independents go out of business. Just like the advent of sound if you can’t convert you go dark. I don’t like the attitude but when the movie moguls died off and the film industry was taken over by large corporations and accountants started running the business this is what happens.”
mean that great, golden oldie-but-goody classic films such as West Side Story, Lawrence of Arabia, Dr. Zhivago, Fantasia, Midnight Cowboy, Easy Rider and many other great golden oldie-but-goody films will disappear from the movie landscape, never to be shown again in any movie theatres, the way they’re meant to be viewed. I’d sure hate to see the few independent not-for-profit movie theatres that play these great old classic films mentioned above, as well as other kinds of films that’re different from the schlockier movies that’re shown in most theatres nowadays go out of business.
If all that comes to pass, I predict more isolation of people from each other, which, in turn will breed suspicion, fear and hostility towards each other, as well as the total cheapening of the movie experience, which has been happening anyway.
Thanks, Justin Fencsak. It would be nice if these get-togethers happened more often, with great classic movies, to boot.
Do you have any independent art-house repertory/revival movie theatres in your area that might show movies such as “2001: A Space Odyssey”? Just curious, because, assuming there is at least one independent movie theatre in your area that will show classics, you might want to call and/or write periodically to suggest/request “2001” , or if there’s a suggestion box in the theatre, put your suggestion in that. Just saying…..Hope I’ve been of some help here, CaptVonKrapp.
“Some of the most entertaining CT articles I’ve come across have been the anniversary celebrations of "Star Wars”, “Superman”, etc. If it calls up fond memories of going to the movies, it belongs on Cinema Treasures."
Thanks, Bill Huelig. The above-mentioned quote from your post says it all…in a nutshell.
Justin Fencsak: This:
“it’ll be too bad that the Joker won’t be around.”
is really too bad about Heath Ledger. He died much too young, imo.
Thanks, Phantom Screen. You’re right on that one, but I noticed that an awful lot of stores and businesses seemed boarded up, or had soaped-up windows, which is another sign of a store or business that’s folded.